School Board may expand ban on political campaigning on campus

Wednesday

Aug 26, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Proposed changes to the school district's employee policies would tighten the rules for political campaigning on campus. Under the changes, administrators would not be allowed to "campaign on school property during working hours on behalf of any political issue, or candidate for local, state, or national office."

By Christopher CurryStaff writer

Proposed changes to the school district's employee policies would tighten the rules for political campaigning on campus.Under the changes, administrators would not be allowed to "campaign on school property during working hours on behalf of any political issue, or candidate for local, state, or national office."The issue is scheduled to go before the School Board on Tuesday for a vote.That means they would not be allowed to wear "any clothing, buttons, or other insignia with political messages" on campus.The policy already prohibited teachers from campaigning for political candidates on campus during school hours. The proposed change would expand that prohibition to all "political issues."School district staff attorney Tom Wittmer said teachers should be able to discuss political matters with students but should not use the classroom as a platform to "advocate for his or her position."It remains to be seen how this policy, if it is adopted, would affect organized campaigns on school funding issues such as those that took place last school year.Last fall, public school district administrators, teachers and students joined in a push in support of an extra property tax to fund the school system and voters approved it in a November referendum.During the spring semester, some employees and students donned red shirts that read "Education Cuts Don't Heal" on campus and gathered signatures on petitions lobbying the Florida Legislature to put more money toward public education.Wittmer said activities campaigning in favor of a ballot initiative, such as the one mill, would likely not be allowed on campus during work hours.

He said lobbying state lawmakers in favor of school funding might be different because that did not directly involve any candidate or issue that would be on the ballot in Alachua County.